The Sleeping Prince
by scribensdraconis
Summary: The Lord gives Raskreia the task to retrieve the stolen Ragnarok and to break the curse that keeps Prince Raizel in a deep sleep. (co-written by foggywizard)


_**A/N**__: __Hello there! This is, technically, part 2 of the fairytale series, a continuation of "The Beast and the Beast"- though it works as standalone, occasionally referencing the first tale in the series! The summary: After Queen Aris was cursed to become a beast, her cousin, Karias, became the king under guidance of his father. After Maduke broke the beast's curse twenty years later, Karias makes a choice that upsets the Lord._

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The lands of the Lord were beautiful - they were flourishing under his wise, just rule and his magical powers. It was at the festival of flowers that he returned to the capital after leaving it in a rush upon receiving troubling news. The king climbed she steps to his throne and sat down. Carefully, he brushed back his long, flowing hair before having the princess summoned. Ah, the light of his life, his great pride. "Raskreia. Did I interrupt your fencing lesson?"

Raskreia looked down at her arm, still holding her sword. "Yes." But that was fine. She could always return to it once she was done here. That was what tutors were for, after all. They helped her learn while working around her busy schedule as a princess.

"Do you remember that rude queen that tried to force me into prostitution when I asked her for shelter for a night, twenty years ago?" Probably not, she was just a toddler back then, after all.

"... No?" That had happened? What on earth...? "People do that?"

"Yes. I cursed her and everyone in the castle. The cousin of King Karias. You know. Your betrothed. I cursed her to be a beast, and only a confession of love can break the spell."

She nodded. A weird story, but father didn't tell her things without them having a point. _Usually._

"Well. Instead of becoming a better person and winning the heart of someone in earnest, she just found someone worse! I've been to their wedding!"

"At least she found love?" Though, that didn't seem to be the point of this. Just that he was upset about the curse being broken.

"We'll have to keep an eye on them and Karias now. Some might try to use her return to their advantage."

"That is just how it is with politics, isn't it?" Of course someone was bound to use her return to their advantage.

The king nodded to confirm. That was an issue they would have to keep an eye on. "Did anything eventful happen while I was gone?"

She shook her head. "All is the same as ever, your Majesty."

"Raskreia." He sighed. "Just call me father."

"That would be inappropriate, your Majesty." She would not risk the ire of their country over something as insignificant as a title.

The king sighed and shook his head. Really, she was absolutely unyielding. "You can resume your studies."

She nodded, leaving to go rejoin her tutor, her hips swaying lightly to the same militant gait she always used.

For two days, everything was quiet - until, one day, a most unexpected visitor showed up - the young king Karias himself, accompanied by two knights of the royal family. An hour after his arrival, Raskreia was called to the throne room, to him and her father.

The princess approached the two men, caught off guard by the sight of her betrothed. Was there a reason for his sudden appearance? She courtsied before her father, then towards Karias, waiting for further explanation.

"Hello there, milady." Karias bowed deeply to her.

Raskreia acknowledged his bow with a graceful nod.

"Now, son, what brings you here in person today?", The king asked, resting his cheek against his hand.

"I have come to inform you that I am no longer the king of the western lands." No. "The rightful queen has had that dreadful curse on her broken, so I gave her her rule back."

The Lord and the princess both stared for a couple of moments. "So you have stepped down?", he asked to confirm.

"I have." Karias could not just keep it when it belonged to his cousin. "It is... less dangerous for the civilians if I do so." He could start a civil war over right to the throne, but that would harm the very people he sought to serve.

"You have ruled for twenty years, ten of which you ruled as actual king, and not under the guidance of your father."

"That doesn't mean that war won't break out if I refuse. In fact, it means I'd have a higher chance of starting one."

"What is done is done." He waved his hand in discontent. "I hope you understand I cannot give you Raskreia's hand anymore. She is still a princess."

Karias's mouth opened, and then closed again. Was he not still a prince, even if he was no longer king? How was he unsuitable? "I do," he lied.

"A princess strengthens the alliances with other nations by becoming the queen of another king," Raskreia pointed out slowly, brows furrowed. She didn't like this - Karias had been perfectly acceptable.

"Monarchs don't grow on trees," the king sighed. This was a pain.

Karias's own brows furrowed. Wasn't Raskreia an only child and therefore the king's heir? What was he planning having her marry a ruler? This should have actually made Karias _more_ suitable. "I... My love. Might I at least be able to continue loving you as a sister?" Anything to at least stay in her life. They'd been betrothed longer than he'd been properly ruling, after all.

Raskкeia smiled graciously and nodded. "I will be overjoyed to maintain friendly relations with you."

Ah. Cold as always. He adored her all the same, but no! They were _family_ now. Not lovers-to-be. "Thank you, milady."

The Lord rubbed his chin. "I'll need some time to find you another suitable fiance then," he sighed. "Thank you for coming to see Raskreia in person. Feel welcome to be our guest, there is no need to return right away."

He nodded. "Thanks Dad."

He laughed heartily. "it's a shame you decided to step down. If you intend to reclaim the crown at some point soon, we'd be inclined to support you."

He shook his head. "If the Queen does not bear children, it will be mine again one day anyway." That said, the age gap now was significantly smaller than it once was.

"And she is married to some nobody, I heard?"

"The ex-mayor of Brighttown." Karias did keep decent enough tabs on his subjects. Not enough to know more than that bit of info, but he at least knew who he was. Couldn't say the same of Brighttown's other inhabitants though.

"Some nobody," he repeated. Brighttown was merely a small town in the heartlands after all. Finally, he dismissed them both, and Raskreia accompanied her ex-fiance. "Was this your own free choice?", she asked.

"Of course it was," Karias admitted. "The reasons I gave the king were true, but also... I cannot stand in the way of a love that pure. She deserves the throne."

Raskreia frowned, but didn't argue it. "What will you do now?"

"I don't quite know, actually. Wander around, I suppose?" Look for adventure, since his hope of coming here to stay with his beloved... _sister_... was a bust.

"You're still Duke of the northern shire, aren't you?" No one could take that away from him.

"That I am, milady." Not that he'd been there in some time. Not with running the lands.

"So you still have somewhere to go, and duties to fulfill."

"I... actually don't know. I've kept tabs on the viceroy I left in charge, but I have no idea if they prefer him or me." He should go back all the same, he supposed.

"It's your birthright. Regardless of what the common people say." Though she could respect his deep regard for the wishes of his subjects. "They care about the crops and the market prices, not who actually rules."

Karias nodded. Sound enough. "I shall return shortly then."

"Are you glad you're no king anymore?"

"I don't know. It's been so long since I _wasn't_ king."

"Your whole life, pretty much." Most kings didn't get to choose.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I don't really know how to do differently now."

"You are still young. You have time to discover it." In a way, she even wondered if she might be jealous.

"... Your Highness, what will you do now that your father has dissolved our engagement?"

Raskreia took a moment to think about her answer. "My father will find another suitable husband."

"Ah... we could always elope, you know?" He was only half-joking, if he was honest.

Raskreia chuckled. "If he does not find a suitable husband, I'll happily consider you as alternative." And reign this land herself, since it did not seem like her father would remarry anytime soon.

"I will await word of his success then." Or failure. "I will stay for a few days and then depart, milady. Shall we appreciate your mother's gardens then?" The ones the king's late wife had planted, and were carefully cared for even now.

"Yes. I enjoy taking walks in them." Her Lord father did so, too. They were a refuge of quiet and beauty amid the hectic life of monarchs. Boldly, Raskreia took his arm. "Let me show you everything."

The next day, it seemed as though the king had found a solution for his predicament. He was in his private library that also served as laboratory for his arcane studies, and he waited for the Princess patiently. "Do you know King Muzaka, north of us?", he inquired.

"The one who doesn't act like a king?" Whenever he'd come for diplomacy reasons.

"Yes. That one." He waited for her reaction to him being brought up.

Remembering some of his antics brought a scowl to her face that she quickly schooled back into her normal, royal expression. "What of him?"

"He is no King by natural right. Long ago,a couple of months before you were born, a handsome young prince was cursed on the day of coronation. Muzaka, his best friend, has been keeping the throne ever since, in case his friend returns."

She blinked. "And... you want me to marry which?"

"I want you to travel to his castle and see if you can break the curse. He was a really friendly, gentle fellow. You might like him."

"Very well." She bowed. "I will abide by your will, Majesty." Ugh. Friendly and gentle meant nothing when he was likely twice her age. Cursed or no, there was no guarantee that he was still the age he had been upon it being applied.

"I will have everything arranged. I also want you to choose a dependable, trustworthy knight to accompany you on this journey."

"Sir Ludis?"

"Yes. Good. He is a great knight. And an adventure might do him good and teach him a lot." The King nodded in approval.

"I will inform him that he should prepare for a journey then."

"That is good." The Lord nodded. "I hope you are not too disappointed that a marriage with Duke Karias is no longer an option."

"He is more disappointed than I am." If him suggesting that they elope was anything to go by. She hadn't chosen him in the first place, what with it having been arranged when they were still children.

"Well, he chose to renounce his throne in favour of ... whatever it is he is going to do." He shook his head in disbelief. "... She really was supposed to become _better_ and not get with someone _worse_ !"

Did it really matter though? She'd apparently been a decent ruler, for as hedonistic as she was. From the few records she'd found after looking her up out of curiosity anyway. "Is her husband that bad?"

"He can't be good if he is close friends with Lagus, to start with!" The King shook his head.

Right. Lagus. The man who he constantly complained about, and rarely stopped. "Are you ever going to explain that weird grudge you two have against each other?"

"Maybe, one day, I will tell you. You might care to hear how the Prince was cursed, though, because Lagus was the one who did it! Ah, I remember it like yesterday..."


End file.
